I wanted to get some opinions on using a headlamp setting up on birds in the morning. I've always used a green led caplight and done pretty well. I've heard red work even better, then there's folks who don't use em at all. I personally don't like not having a flashlight on moonless nights cause I end up tripping over stuff and breaking sticks underfoot.
What works for you?
No lights for me.
no lights for me either
I agree, a light is a must have. I would rather the birds saw a little light than hear me stumble over sticks . I do not think they associate the flicker of a distant light with danger but they most certainly get antsy and or flyaway when they HEAR you coming.
Red lights, but only if I have to.
I use a green cap light also. I can't see that well with the red ones.
I've used lights in the past but for the most part I don't use one.
If I can help it, I won't use one. If I feel going without will make too much noise, I'll use a dim headlamp and go in another half hour to forty five minutes early to let things settle down.
I use a green light. But for the most part if you snap a twig those turkeys don't know if its you or a deer that snapped that twig.Are their heads out from under their wing at 5:30 in the morning that I don't know hey it,s turkey hunting. :firefighter:
Using any kind of flashlight is a great way not to hear any gobbling ,
I do however for whatever rare occasion that I might need a light to load my gun by the truck etc.... A small 1 triple a battery light - I have the bulb colored red with a red marker and a great way to hide the beam is to hold it in the fist of your hand with the lens inside a inch in your hand , you can crack your grip and let a slight beam of light shine out , it's impossible for anything to see the bright beam
I'll go a entire season and not use it , the only place I may use it is rounding the edges of small ponds where moccasins like to wait for a meal , or opening cattle gates
No lights for me.
Too many snakes in west Texas not to use light.
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Rule no 1 is don't use it unless you absolutely have to on a moonless night. If you have to, use a green light that gives off the lowest glow you can get away with. One with a directed beam that isn't visable from the sides. Use it in your hand and keep it low and on the ground right at your feet. Don't bob it around as that is more noticeable. A cap light is the worst because your constantly bobing your head around. A steady low glow on the ground at your feet is not near as noticeable and is enough to avoid noisy sticks or trip on things. A little Photon Freedom Covert in green is usually all that is needed, about 4 lumen. Be sure to get the covert with the hooded bulb. It will run about 12 hours on a coin cell battery. If you need more, a Streamlight Clipmate in green gives about 25 lumen. It will run about 40 hours on 3 AAA. I have both in my vest but actually use them very little.
Quote from: kenfa03 on March 24, 2014, 09:08:46 PM
Too many snakes in west Texas not to use light.
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Now that is just wrong to say.....I'll be there second week of April. Normally I don't use a light but I would rather use a million candle power spotlight than sit on a snake...... :fud:
Wow! I am quite surprised at the number of fellows that do not use a light at all in the mornings.
I'm just in my second year of turkey hunting. Last year, I scored a Jake, and I used a flashlight to get into my hunting area every morning. Of course, I can't claim any special calling success. These three jakes were following the same general path every morning, and after figuring that out, I just placed myself in that path. One of them made some really good meals too.
I started turkey hunting late in life as I'm now 61, and this is my second spring. I cannot imagine walking through the stuff I walk through in the dark without the benefit of a flashlight of some kind.
I hunt national forest land, and they burn it off in three year cycles. The burns do a lot of good for us hunters by keeping the grass to manageable heights, but there is a lot of evergreen vines, burned stump holes, and a lot of fallen timber that would make walking without light virtually impossible. Plus, I walk as much as 600 to 700 yards through this stuff. We have no farmland in this area to hunt. Timber is the primary industry here in this part of Louisiana,...mostly run by the feds. There are many fine hardwood bottoms though, and the turkeys love to scratch and feed in these areas.
Would appreciate any suggestions. Do you think I'm spooking these birds by using a light? I guess I could walk in right at the buttcrack of dawn, but I've been going in a little earlier around 6 am. It starts getting light around 6:40 am. Do I need to go in earlier to give them time to settle down? or later?
This year is turning out to be more frustrating than last year, but last year, I really didn't expect much out of myself. I am retired, and can hunt every day if I want.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts and suggestions.
k
I appreciate all the opinions shared fellers. Somethin to think about. :fud: :OGani:
Moon or no moon,I will use a handheld pinlight pointed at the ground aimed at my next footfall.. we hunt Ga and Fl (snake country)..been bitten once by a copperhead and do not relish the idea of my hunt getting screwed up by another trip to the ER...lol... I do not use a caplight on the bobbin' noggin'..
I don't use one but i do carry one just in case i have any other hunters moving in on me before daylight.
I don't use one but i do carry one just in case i have any other hunters moving in on me before daylight.
I didn't use one until I read Bobby Cole's Dummy Line 4 days before season opened last year. Been hunting since 1989!!! Awesome read, makes you think!!!!
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Quote from: SCGobbler on March 26, 2014, 09:13:50 PM
I didn't use one until I read Bobby Cole's Dummy Line 4 days before season opened last year. Been hunting since 1989!!! Awesome read, makes you think!!!!
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???
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I don't use one and don't even carry one in my vest. I did walk up within 10 steps of 2 big hogs the other mornin and we had a little standoff. I puckered up bad, I won't lie. Haha. I wished at that moment that I had a light.
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I'll hold my red light in my hand and keep it close to the ground if I'm in brush or crossing a creek. I try to use it as little as possible, but I also don't want to fall flat on my face.
I ask the same question a few weeks ago like you I was surprised the number hunters that don't
use a light of any kind.I started late my self this is my fifth year I am 67.I have been using a pin light and it has not been a problem so far.i live in Va. and we have some BIG timber rattlers here.
And I also get turned around in the dark. So I think it would be ok to use a small green or red light.
Just my thought.
I have been hunting since 2000 and have killed many long beards and have always used a flash light. Only time I turn it off is crossing fields. I have used white and green lights and have had no problems just don't shine it up in the trees and you will be fine.
No lights. It's a variable that doesn't need to be introduced into the equation.
Nope
I use a single cell flash light. It gives me just enough light to see the ground so I make as little noise as possible. Head lamps or cap lights sometimes get shined into the trees spooking birds off the roost if I happen to look up when climbing the mountains I hunt. Early in the season before the tree sprout leaves is when it can happen the most. If it is moon lit pretty good I don't use the light. Either way do it the safest way you can, you don't want to step over a log and have mister nasty coiled :welcomeOG: :emoticon-cartoon-012: waiting to strike if you happen to step near where he's laying
I'm pretty night blind, so on dark or cloudy nights, I use a single bulb green LED pen light I keep closed in my fist so I can regulate the amount of light it shines. I only keep it pointed down in front of my feet on the way through the woods. It helps to use those reflective tacks at the base of trees to help guide you to the area you want to start. It is way too easy to get turned around in a swamp before daylight and I sure don't want to step on Mr. No-Shoulders. I'd rather use a minimal light to get where I need to be than risk busting birds off the roost or getting snake bit. I don't get as much time to turkey hunt as I'd like (who does?) and I have to use practical things to my advantage.
Jim
I rarely use a light when getting close to my set up area but that said I have stood under roosted birds with a light so many times that I can't say I believe it matters. I have had gobblers sound off from just feet away from were I fumbled around under a tree
for 5 minutes (taking care of business in the dark). go figure who knows.
I've never had any game get spooked by green light. I'm not sure if it is in their spectrum of color recognition. You do want to be sure to hold the light well in front of you. This will prevent you from outlining yourself and your motion.
I would invite all you fellers that don't use a light to try your hand at following me through the Mississippi terrain I have to travel through to get to some of my spots before first light. At best, you will sound like a bull elephant coming through the woods and at worst, you will fall into a stump hole, or down a steep bank or scratch yourself bloody trying to negociate a briar thicket--and then there are the snakes.
I usually don't use a flashlight...but if I have too ---- like crossing a steep rocky ditch --- I'll cover the face of the small flashlight with my fingers, so as their is only a small sliver of light coming out.
You'll need at least 15 minutes of darkness, in order to get your eyes acclimated to the dark. I like to use starlight, moonlight, and city lights reflected off the clouds on cloudy predawn hours. Foxfire... sometimes guides my way in the turkey swamps.
I like to take eye supplements, like: bilberry, lutein and zeaxanthin which helps better my vision acuity.
I think it depends where you are hunting. I hunt farms that have trucks, tractors and four wheelers, so I think these birds are used to seeing lights. I use red or green and keep it low. I've tried no lights and just end up making more noise. Deer are much quieter then us stumbling in the dark, so I try to get in quiet.
If I can get away with not using one, I won't... but some of the places I hunt would be a disaster to walk though without a light. Generally speaking, I'll hike 70% of the way in with my light on, another 10% with it on red mode, and then the last 20% off (about a 3/4 mile hike or so).
In my situation, usually I'm hunting areas where the timber is so thick, that I don't think there's any way I'd get busted from my light anyway, so it's never really been a problem.
I didn't use to use one at all but as I get older my night vision isn't what it use to be. I use a red light when there is no moon at all. If I have a bird roosted I turn it off about 200 yards from the roost and ease the rest of the way in. Green would work also. If you take a min. when you get to the woods to let your eyes adjust you will be surprised how well you can see without a light.
I carry two. One in each hand. One facing forward and one backward. They don't know if I'm on my way in or out.
Quote from: guesswho on April 13, 2014, 07:12:37 PM
I carry two. One in each hand. One facing forward and one backward. They don't know if I'm on my way in or out.
LOL!! :TooFunny:
I am new to this site and I think I have found one of the wise guys!!! :you_rock:
Quote from: BigAL64 on April 13, 2014, 08:07:19 PM
Quote from: guesswho on April 13, 2014, 07:12:37 PM
I carry two. One in each hand. One facing forward and one backward. They don't know if I'm on my way in or out.
LOL!! :TooFunny:
I am new to this site and I think I have found one of the wise guys!!! :you_rock:
Only when I forget to take my med's or get them mixed up.
No light for me.
I hunt many different spots and none of them are fields. I'd never make it anywhere without a light.
I use a red one, have for years, keep it pointed at the ground. Can't say it's ever caused birds to spook or fly.
Maybe I'm weird, but I've never had a reason to use a light...I don't set up before daylight. 90% of the time the birds I'm hunting don't get fired up (even on the roost) until about 30 min after good daylight. I can set up within 120yrds of birds without spooking em cause of the terrain here in TN. Just never was an issue for me.
Red if I have to, but generally no light.
Where I hunt I walk in about 3/4 to a mile, I use a light. I am 66 and don't want to fall over something. Got my first turkey last year on 4/9/13, got my second on 4/1/14. 8 more days to kill four more birds......fat chance.